Could Browns trade Hue Jackson to Bengals?

Posted by Mike Florio on December 17, 2017, 5:56 PM EDT

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The Browns have been sending out mixed signals regarding whether they want to keep coach Hue Jackson. With Marvin Lewis reportedly out in Cincinnati (although he denies that he’s leaving), a theory/hypothesis is emerging in some league circles.

What if the Browns try to trade Jackson to the Bengals?

Trades for head coaches remain permissible, although they don’t happen in the same way that player trades occur. First, the teams involved strike a deal regarding compensation in the event a contract can be negotiated between the new team and the coach. Second, the new team tries to work out a contract with the coach.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has twice said publicly that he wants Jackson to return in 2018. One league source told PFT that Haslam is saying the same thing privately. But new G.M. John Dorsey recently evaded during a radio interview a direct question about whether Jackson will be back.

So maybe the Browns are being inconsistent as a message of sorts to a team that would be inclined to add to Cleveland’s current draft haul in order to get Jackson. And if Lewis, who is on the record as being willing to consider taking a role somewhere in personnel, decides to become the G.M. or something like it in Cincinnati (and if Cincinnati wants him in that role), the Bengals could make Hue the coach and move forward with both guys working together.

This isn’t a report that something like that will happen. But it’s definitely something to keep an eye on as the coaching carousel prepares to hit full speed. And as the Browns speed toward 0-16.

If you remember, in Jackson’s last year with the Bengals, Marvin proposed to Mike Brown that he would retire and let Jackson take over in two years. Brown rejected that and Jackson was in Cleveland a couple days later, upset with MB.

Mike will remember that and Hue won’t be welcome in Cincy (unless he coaches for free).

bengals are stupid for letting lewis finish out the season. it is obvious he does not want to be here and the players are putting out about a 10% effort. looks like they all are trying to fake injuries to get off the field.

Hue is a good OC, a brutal HC. They would have been better off promoting Zimmer years ago and canning Lewis like he deserved. How many embarrassing meltdowns and self destruction acts has he overseen from the sidelines with that clueless blank faced glazed over stare? Zero discipline, zero team control, yet year after year, embarrassment after embarrassment, he’s given free reign by a careless owner who’s just looking to pinch whatever pennies he can.

The fact that Lewis is even still there, let alone seemingly getting to decide on his own accord how long he wants to stick around, is an absolute joke. Bengals have zero standards, Marv is a joke.

Hue Jackson coaches Bengals for next 3 years for free while Jimmy Haslam pays for all of it with the last three years of his 5 year contract with Jackson (those bad boys are guaranteed unlike players contracts). Bengals send a conditional 7th round pick in compensation because Sashi Brown’s moneyball brain child has left the building… now THAT is the Mike Brown way.

I still think his record as a HC is unknown. He took a bunch of nobodies in Oakland to 8-8. which is an accomplishment, and while I don’t like some of his calls as HC of the Browns, I can’t completely fault him for the record because some of the moves that got them there came from Sashi and his groups. The posters on this site need to get smart about football and understand its not all about rings and records. There is something called nuance as to why people win and lose that isn’t always about talent, of players and of coaches.

But that would be like asking for the Browns to win a game in 2017. It isn’t likely to happen.

If the Browns can trade him to Bengals for any pick in the draft, do it and don’t look back. Let the new GM, John Dorsey pick his own coach. If they can’t fire this guy, with all those high picks, he has done a lot of trades but it just results into losses. Myles Garrett, was suppose to be a sure fire prospect, but I’ve seen prospects picked after him have done way better. They traded for an injured wide receiver who can’t stay healthy, and could’ve had Carson Wentz. The following year with their second first rounder, they passed on Watson. They even botched a trade for AJ McCarron which would cost a second and third. If they can get Rosen and Barkley, if I were them, do it.